Guard-rail clamp.



A. H. MARANDA & H/R. SNYDER.

GUARD RAIL CLAMP.

APPLICATION FIL'ED FEB. 20'. I915.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

In -H INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsmNa1oN. D. c.

n earns rrn ALBERT H. MARANDA AND HENRY R. SNYDER, OF PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA.

GUARD-RAIL CLAMP.

Application filed February 20, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT H. MARANDA and HENRY R. SNYDER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Guard-Rail Clamps, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to guardrail clamps, and particularly to clampswhich permit'of transverse adjustment of the guard rail with relation tothe adjacent main rail to compensate for wear on the side of the head ofthe guard rail, and to facilitate locating the guard rail in the properposition with rela tion to the frog which the guard rail protects.

It is well known that the side of the guard rail head becomes graduallyworn off due to the friction of the wheels of passing cars and trains,but it is desirable that the distance between the guard rail and the adjacent main rail be maintained constant regardless of such wear. j

One object of our invention is the provision of means for adjusting theguard rail to compensate for such wear without necessitating thedisturbing of'any bolts, spikes or screws which enter the ties.

We will describe one form of clamp embodying our invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view showing in verticaltransverse section a guard rail and the adjacent main rail, and one formof adjustable guard rail clamp embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is atopplan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewshowing a-removable filler comprising part of the filling means betweenthe guard rail and the main rail. Fig. is a perspective viewshowing ablock comprising another part of the filling means between the guardrail and the main rail.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of theseveral'views. 7

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference character 1 designates a maintrack-rail of a railway, and 2 a guard rail, both of which rails rest ona plate 3. This plate rests in turn on a switch tie 4 and is securedthereto by lag screws 5 or by other equivalent and suitable means. Theother main track rail is not shown in the drawings, but it is under-Specification of Letters Patcnt.

Patented Dec. '7, 1915..

Serial N 0. 9,577.

stood that it lies to the right of rail 1 and is mounted on the same tie4.

Thevmain rail 1 is preventedv from transverse movement to the left bymeans which I will now explain. The left hand portion of plate 3 isbentback on itself at 3 and the end 3 of this plate is cut at an angleas shown in Fig. 2. The end of the plate is held firmly against the mainbody of the plate by rivets 15. This end of the plate forms a shoulderagainstwhich abutsawedge or other suitable block 6 one side of which iscut at the same angle as the end 3 of the plate. The opposite side ofthis block is shaped to'approximately match the contour ofthe rail 1 asshown in Fig. 1. This block 6 is provided with an elongated hole 7through which pass two lag screws 5*, which screws also pass throughholes in the plate 3 and into the tie 4:. It will be seen that thetransverse position of the rail 1 on plate 3 may be changed by looseningscrews 5?, sliding block 6'along the rail in one direction or the other,and again tightening screw 5. This adjustment of rail -1 is only for thepurpose of compensating for the wear on the right hand side of the headthereof, and is necessary only at very infrequent intervals. p

The plate 3 is provided with a rib 3", formed preferably by bending theplate upwardly and then downwardly as shown in Fig. 1, for a purposewhich we will now explain. Between the guard rail 2 and the rib 3 is ablock 8, the left-hand face of which is shaped to approximately matchthe contour ofthe guard rail. with a central strengthening rib 8 andwith two chamfered portions 8" on opposite sides of the rib. Each ofthese chamfered portions is provided with a slot 9, and the plate 3 isprovided'with twojunslotted holes which register with these slots in theblock. Passing through each slot 9 and the registering hole in the plate3 is a round-headed bolt 10, the head of each bolt lying in a cavity provided in thetie for its accommodation. Each bolt is" provided with. anutlO above the block. It will be seen that owing to the slots 9, theblock 8 is capable of a limited movement along the plate 3, and that itcan be rigidly. clamped to the plate in adjusted position by tighteningthe nuts 10 The adjustment of the block 9 and rail 2 This block isprovided 7 is accomplished by means which we will now describe. The rib3 is provided with two holes 12 in which bolts 11 fit loosely, whichbolts pass into clearance holes, 8 in the block 8. Mounted on each boltbetween the rib and the block are two lock nuts 11". It will be seenthat when the clamping bolts 10 are loose, the block Simay be movedtoward and away from the rib 3 by loosening the lock nuts 11*.

Located between the two rails 1 and 2 is an adjustable filling device bymeans of which the. rails are always held firmly againstblocks 6 and 8respectively. As here shown, this', device'comprises a block 13 and oneor. more removable fillers 13, which parts are shown in ,perspective inFigs. a

and 3 respectivel "The side faces of the block 13 are shaped toapproximately match I is to be used on either side of the block, eachfiller 'isjprovided with a recess 14 into which the boss 14? on the nextouter filler will fit.

The manipulation of the device is as follows: When it is'desired tochange the position of the guard rail 2 on theplate 3, the

nuts 10 and 11 are, loosened. The rail 2 can be moved to the desiredgage and one or more fillers '13 inserted orextracted between theblock13 and one or both of the rails.

guard rail in place. 7

One important feature of our invention lies'in the fact that theadjustment of the guard rail may be-accomplishedwithout disturbing anyscrews or spikes which enter the ties; so that the adjustment occasionsno wear whatsoever on the ties, and the necessity for tie plates iseliminated. 7

It is understood that for each guard rail there will be two or moreclamps located on different ties, the number of clamps depend ing on theconditions of traffic. I

"Although'wehave herein shown and described only one form of clampembodying our invention,'itois understood that various changes andmodifications may be made therein within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of; our invention. 7

1 Having thus descripedour invention, what we claim is:' I p "1* 1. Anadjustableguard rail clamp comprising a fixed plate on which the guardrail After the adjustment; is correct, nuts 10 and 11 are tightened,thus lock ngfthe tween the rib and the block, and means for block.

2. An adjustable guard rail clamp comprising a fixed plate on which theguard rail rests, said plate being bent upwardly on itself'toform anupwardly projecting rib, a block slidable on said plate and abuttingagainst the guardrail, means interposed between theblock and said ribfor adjusting the block toward and away from the rib, and means forholding the guard rail firmly 7 against the block. .7 a

3. An adjustable guard rail clamp comprising a fixed plate on which boththe guard rail and the adjacent main rail rest, one end of said platebeing bent over on itself to form a shoulder on the top of the plate, ablock interposed between said shoulder and the said main rail forlocking the main rail against lateral movement in one direction, theplate being bent upwardly on itself to form a rib on the other sideofsaid rails, a second block slidable on the plate and lo- 100 catedbetween the guard rail and said rib, means interposed between the riband the second block for adjusting the blocktoward and away from saidrib, and adjustable fillholding the guard rail firmly against the ingmeans between the said main rail and the guardrail for holding the mainrail firmly against the first block and theguard rail firmly against thesecond block.

4'. In combination, a main track rail, a guardrail capable of transversemovement 1 with relation thereto, adjustable filling means betweenthe'two rails comprising a block whose sides are shaped to substantiallymatch the contour of the rails and a plurality of fillers adapted to beinserted between the sides of said blockand the rails, each filler beingshaped to substantially match the contour of the rails and each fillerinterlocking with the next filler or with the block, and means forlocking the guard rail 12o firmly against said filling means.

5 An adjustable guard rail clamp comprising a fixed plate on which theguard rail rests, said; plate having an upwardly projecting rib, a blockslidable on said plate and abutting against the guard rail, a screw andnut device interposed between the rib and the block for adjusting thedistance between the rib and the block, and bolts for clamping the blockto the plate in adjusted position; 1

6. An adjustable guard rail clamp c0mprising a fixed plate on which theguard rail rests, said plate having an upwardly projecting rib, a blockslidable on said plate and abutting against the guard rail a screw andnut device interposed between the rib and the block for adjusting thedistance between the rib and the block, and means independent of thescrew and nut device for clamping the block to the plate in adjustedposition.

7. An adjustable guard rail' clamp comprising a fixed plate on which theguard rail rests, said plate having an upwardly projecting rib, a blockslidable on said plate and abutting against the guard rail, a screw andthe block for adjusting the distance between therib and the block, meansindependent of of the screw and nut device for clamping the block to theplate in adjusted position, and adjustable means for holding the guardrail firmly against the block in all positions of the latter.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT H. MARANDA. HENRY R. SNYDER. Witnesses:

A. C. NOLTE, L. V. LEWIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

